Certain examples relate to improved solar photovoltaic systems, and/or methods of making the same. Certain improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the solar heat gain coefficient. The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells and lateral displacement tracking systems. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity.

A desiccant air conditioning system for heating an air stream entering a building space includes a conditioner having multiple structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation. The structures are spaced apart from each other with an air stream gap between each pair of adjacent structures. Each structure has at least one outer surface facing an air stream gap across which a liquid desiccant can flow. An air stream flows through the air stream gaps between the structures such that the liquid desiccant humidifies the air stream. Each structure further includes a separate desiccant collector at a lower end of the at least one outer surface for collecting liquid desiccant that has flowed across the at least one outer surface of the structure. The desiccant collectors are spaced apart from each other to permit airflow therebetween. The conditioner also includes a heat source for heating a heat transfer fluid used to heat the liquid desiccant.

Disclosed is a solar cell module. The solar cell module includes a solar cell panel including a plurality of solar cells; a protective substrate on the solar cell panel; and a ventilation unit for ventilating the solar cell panel.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and processes for collecting solar energy. According to particular embodiments, a solar collector device comprises one or more primary reflectors, and a receiver assembly mounted on a frame structure. The receiver assembly comprises one or more secondary concentrators and a heat transfer tube. Each primary reflector comprises a flat elongated mirror mounted on a structural backing that is rotatably coupled to the frame structure such that each primary reflector may pivot around a pivot axis. The receiver assembly may translate along the frame structure in a direction that is parallel to the pivot axes of the one or more primary reflectors. The one or more primary reflectors reflect light focused upon the receiver assembly such that heat energy from the reflected light is transferred to a heat transfer fluid in the heat transfer tube.

The present invention relates to a rotating solar concentrating device wherein reflective sheets hung in a catenary trough shape capable of solar concentration may be protectively furled and balanced and rotated about a vertical axis. The reflective sheets may be furled to protect them from damage from wind, rain, and dust. In some embodiments, rotating parts of the device may be hung from supports above. In some embodiments, a furling mechanism may initiate protective furling in response to damaging environmental factors. Some embodiments may concentrate light on a photovoltaic cell wherein the photovoltaic cell is cooled by immersion in a heat pipe. In some embodiments, reflective surfaces may be supported by cables that are tensioned by a hanging, rotating ballast. In some embodiments, the device may be employed in a ganged array. In some embodiments, the invention may harvest wind energy as a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT).

A Solar module, particularly hybrid photovoltaic solar hot water module, having at least two adjoining solar cells, which are configured at least partially bifacial and are embedded into a transparent laminate, wherein the laminate has a laminate rear-side on which a structure for guiding a heat transfer medium is provided, wherein a first section of the structure facing the laminate rear-side has a reflecting surface and is disposed to reflect the incidental light on the solar module, which does not directly strike the solar cells.

The present invention pertains generally to a cooling apparatus using fluent material for energy converting units, such as photovoltaic cells, to harness solar energy. More particularly, the present invention pertains to water-based cooling apparatus, in a preferred embodiment, in which the apparatus is further configured to mount or mate with energy converting units that are mounted on solar panels that track movement of the sun during daylight hours.

An apparatus is provided that comprises photovoltaic cells provided on a first rotatable member, an electric motor having an axial shaft, and a second rotatable member provided with an impeller. The photovoltaic cells capture and convert the solar energy into electrical energy. The electric motor is connected to and is in electric communication with the photovoltaic cells for powering the electric motor. The electric motor converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy for rotating the photovoltaic cells in a first direction about a central axis and for rotating the axial shaft connected to an impeller in a second direction about the central axis. The rotating axial shaft rotates the impeller at high revolutions per minute which generates a flow of air that is directed to the rotating photovoltaic cells on the first rotatable member. The photovoltaic cells are cooled by the air-flow and operate at a lower temperature.

A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space includes a conditioner having structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation with an air stream gap between adjacent structures. An air stream flows through the air stream gaps and is exposed to the liquid desiccant and dehumidified when in some of the flow paths and exposed to water and humidified when in other flow paths. Each structure further includes a separate collector at a lower end of the at least one surface of that structure for collecting the liquid desiccant or water that has flowed across the at least one surface of the structure. The system also includes a diverter for diverting a portion of the air stream that has been dehumidified to a flow path where it is exposed to water where it absorbs a portion of the water and is thereby cooled.

A solar battery module includes: a sealing layer including a solar battery cell and a sealant sealing the solar battery cell; a front side layer formed from a resin and disposed at a side of the sealing layer at which sunlight is incident; a back side layer that is disposed at an opposite side of the sealing layer from the side at which the front side layer is disposed; and a cooler that is disposed at an opposite side of the back side from the side at which the sealing layer is disposed.